Genus and species: Vitis vinifera. 
The new grape plant named xe2x80x9814-44-248xe2x80x99 is of Vitis vinifera parentage. It resulted from an effort to provide an alternative to xe2x80x98Redglobexe2x80x99 (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,787) in the mid-season, seeded table grape market. Ripening of xe2x80x9814-44-248xe2x80x99 is in the same period as xe2x80x98Thompson Seedlessxe2x80x99 (unpatented), achieving a sugar level of about 18 degrees brix in the second week of August. Fruit of the new variety hangs well on the vine and sugar levels continue to increase until the third week of September in the Delano, Calif. area. Pedicels of xe2x80x9814-44-248xe2x80x99 are very slender and are prone to drying if held in cold storage for long periods of time.
The female parent (unnamed) resulted from a series of crosses involving xe2x80x98Hunisaxe2x80x99, xe2x80x98Flame Seedlessxe2x80x99, xe2x80x98Emperorxe2x80x99, and xe2x80x98Thompson Seedlessxe2x80x99 (all unpatented). The male parent of the cross is xe2x80x98Fantasy Seedlessxe2x80x99 (unpatented). The hybridization resulting in xe2x80x9814-44-248xe2x80x99 was made near McFarland, Calif. in 1993. Resulting seeds were stratified and sown in a greenhouse in January of 1994. Seedlings were transplanted to a field in the Delano, Calif. area in March of that same year. The original seedling vine of xe2x80x9814-44-248xe2x80x99 was selected from a population of 127 seedlings of like parentage in 1996. it was then propagated by cuttings and grafting to xe2x80x98Freedomxe2x80x99 (unpatented) rootstock near McFarland, Calif. Those resulting plants were stable and typical of the original vine. Subsequent propagations of the variety have also proven stable with true to type plants.
The new grape plant named xe2x80x9814-44-248xe2x80x99 somewhat resembles the cultivar xe2x80x98Emperorxe2x80x99, from which it descends, but differs by having a much larger berry with crisper texture than fruit of xe2x80x98Emperorxe2x80x99. It differs from its female parent (unnamed) by having berries with dark red berries rather than white berries. It shares some characteristics with its male parent xe2x80x98Fantasy Seedlessxe2x80x99, but differs by having a greater fruitfulness than xe2x80x98Fantasy Seedlessxe2x80x99, allowing spur pruning of the vines. Berries of xe2x80x9814-44-248xe2x80x99 have sclerified seeds, unlike xe2x80x98Fantasy Seedlessxe2x80x99. Vigor of the new variety is reduced compared to that of xe2x80x98Fantasy Seedlessxe2x80x99.